Mattress structure



Oct. 16, 1962 E. N. FLEMING ET Al. 3,

MATTRESS STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 16, 1961 INVENTOR 5 United States Patent Ofiice 3,058,126 Patented Oct. 16, 1962 3,058,126 MATTRESS STRUCTURE Earl N. Fleming, Michigan City, Ind., and George S. Fasanella, Park Forest, IlL, assignors to The Englander Company, Inc., Chicago, IlL, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 89,811 3 Claims. (Cl. -352) This invention relates generally to mattresses and more particularly to a mattress structure that is easily and safely folded.

A mattress is a notoriously clumsy item, and many occasions arise in which concentration of its bulk is desired, for example, when it is to be handled, stored or transported. Regardless of the fact that most mattresses are not constructed to permit folding, many persons insist on reducing the bulk of a mattress by folding it, especially if the mattress is comparatively thin or shallow. Resultant damage materially reduces the satisfaction that a consumer can ultimately gain from the mattress.

Accordingly, a general object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved mattress structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mattress structure which is susceptible of being folded.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a mattress structure that is resistant to damage on folding.

A further object of the invention is to provide foldable mattress structure that is durable, inexpensive and comfortable.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a foldable mattress structure having pleasing appearance in either the extended or the folded state.

Additional objects and features of the invention pertain to the particular structure and arrangement whereby the above objects are attained.

A structure in accord with the invention includes a body of foamed, polymeric material having at least one elongated slot extending transversely thereof and penetrating a substantial distance therein; fabric strips disposed along the walls of the slot and overlapping at the apex thereof; and adhesive means securing the fabric elements to the walls of the slot and to each other at the apex, the slot defining a plane at which the mattress can be readily folded.

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood, a single embodiment thereof applied to a sofabed, but to which the application is not to be restricted, is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sofabed incorporating a mattress structure in accordance with the invention and showing the mattress structure in its extended state wherein it is to be used for sleeping purposes;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, side elevational, cross-sectional view of the sofabed of FIG. 1 showing the mattress structure in its folded state and showing rearrangement of the sofabed for use as a seating device;

FIG. 3 is a safe elevational view of the body of the mattress structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view of the mattress structure enlarged to reveal details of the transverse slot and of the fabric elements lining the walls of the slot;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the mattress taken in a different scale and showing the mattress in its folded state to reveal the action of the slots; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to the showing of FIG. 5 but indicating the cooperation between the folded end of the mattress structure and the bed frame of the sofabed.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, specifically to FIGS. 12, a sofabed indicated generally by the numeral 10 will be seen to include a furniture frame 12, a bed frame 14 and a mattress structure 16. The furniture frame 12 includes a back unit 18, side units 20, a front plate 22 and supporting legs 24. The back unit 18' includes a bolster member 26 and defines a mattress-storage space 28 situated generally behind the bolster 26 as is indicated in FIG. 2. Side units 20 include armrests 30.

The bed frame 14 is articulated in a conventional manner to permit folding thereof in accordance with the showing of FIG. 2. Additionally, bed frame 14 is provided with supporting legs 32.

Turning now to FIGS. 3-4, the mattress structure 16 will be seen to include a resilient body 34 formed of a foamed, polymeric material. Foamed rubber and foamed polyurethane resins have proved to be eminently suitable materials for the construction of body 34. Body 34 is intended to provide the basic, resilient element of mattress 16 and is desirably formed in the shape of a rectilinear solid having greater length than width and being relatively shallow in depth. The overall length and width of body 34 are advantageously arranged to coincide with the conventional dimensions for either a single or a double bed mattress in either the regular or the king size.

In accordance with an important feature of the invention, the body 34 is provided with one or more narrow, elongated slots or grooves 36; and these slots or grooves 36 are molded or incised into body 34 to extend transversely thereof and to open from one face and from opposite sides. The slots or grooves 36 are also arranged to penetrate a substantial distance into the body 34, preferably penetrating more than half of the depth of the body and penetrating, in the embodiment shown, to a distance that is of the total depth of the body. As will become more apparent hereinafter, each of the slots or grooves 36 defines a plane at which the mattress can be readily folded.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, flexible elements are secured to the walls of each slot 36 in reinforcing relationship. As is particularly well shown in FIG. 4, these flexible elements advantageously comprise fabric strips 38 and 40. The fabric elements or strips 38 and 40 are desirably fashioned from a suitable material such as cotton ticking or, where particularly high reinforcing strength is desired, from a nylon fabric. As is shown in FIG. 4, the elements 38 and 40 advantageously overlap at the apex of the slot 36.

A layer of adhesive 42 extends between the elements 38 and 40 where they overlap as well as between the elements and the walls of slot 36. The adhesive for layer 42 is selected to be an adhesive material which is compatible with the material of construction for body 34 and with the material of construction for the strips 38* and 40, latexbased adhesive materials having proved particularly useful in this regard.

The fabric strips 38 and 40 are desirably arranged to extend the entire length of slot 36; and provision of these elements for reinforcing purposes has proved particularly important when the body 34 is selected to be formed from foamed polyurethane resins because of the relatively low tensile or tear strength of those resins when in the foamed state.

The mattress structure 16 is completed by a flexible cover 44 encasing the body 34. Cover 44 is advantageously free of any physical connection with the body 34 or with the strips 38' and 40.

It has been found that the incorporation of one or more slots 36 is most important when the mattress is intended to be folded through an arc of (degrees), i.e. folded back upon itself. Such is required in the sofabed 10 according to the showing of FIG. 2. In these circumstances, two slots 36 are advantageously provided in the body 34 as is shown in FIG. 3. There, a pair of the slots 36 are shown situated parallel to each other and parallel to an end of the mattress, the outer slot being spaced an appreciable distance a" from the end. The two slots 36 are spaced relatively close together, being separated by the distance b. Upon folding of the end 46 of the mattress through 180 degrees, the slots 36 define planes at which the mattress is capable of accommodating the folding operation, as is shown in FIGS. -6.

Upon this folding of the mattress, compressive forces act on the portion 48 of body 34 that is situated between the apexes of the slots. Moreover, tensile forces act on the portion 50 that resides between the openings of the slots. With particular reference to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the cover 44 acts to restrain the portion 50 of body 34 that is situated between the slots upon folding of the mattress. This provides a smooth even appearance to the folded end of the mattress.

Although provision of a slot is not essential when the mattress is intended to be folded only through an arc of 90 degrees or less, such provision has proved highly useful. Accordingly, a third slot 36 is shown in dotted outline in FIG. 3, being spaced a distance c from the end 52 of the body 34.

All of the slots 36 formed in the body 34 are desirably arranged to be parallel to each other and to be parallel to the ends of the mattress in order that the respective folds permitted thereby are cooperative in concentrating the bulk of the mattress; and it will be seen in FIG. 6, with secondary reference to FIG. 2, that the portion of the mattress which has been folded through a 180 degree are is capable of cooperating with an end plate member 54 of the bed frame 14 to flatten the folded portion as shown. It will be recognized that sheets, blankets and other bedding can be inserted between the folded portions of the mattress as at 58 for storage, when such a procedure is desired.

From the descriptions given it will be apparent that the mattress structure of the invention provides a highly useful, readily folded unit that is easily and safely folded for storage, handling or transportation without incurring any substantial risk of damage to the mattress body. Accordingly, the specific example herein shown and described should be considered as illustrative only. Various changes in structure and in the environment of use will, no doubt, occur to those skilled in the art; and these changes are to be understood as forming a part of this invention insofar as they fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A mattress structure comprising: a resilient, unitary, rectangular body of foamed polymeric material having a width and a length greater than the width and having a plurality of elongated, straight-sided slots extending transversely of said body in spaced apart relationship parallel to said width, said slots penetrating a substantial distance through the thickness of said body to define planes at which said body can be readily folded whereby to accommodate folding of said mattress structure back upon itself; and a flexible cover encasing said body and bridging the open sides of said slots to restrain the portions of said body disposed between said slots upon folding of said mattress structure.

2. A mattress structure according to claim 1 wherein said body is fashioned of polyurethane resin and wherein said mattress structure further comprises fabric means lining said slot and adhesive means securing said fabric means in said slots.

3. A mattress structure according to claim 2 wherein said fabric means comprise flexible elements disposed along the walls of a said slot to overlap at the apex thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,592,146 Miller et a1. July 13, 1926 2,779,031 Arpin Ian. 29, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 83,152 Norway Feb. 22, 1954 

